INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
entering a foldable future
and awkward, but even back then it somewhat worked, remaining intact after 100,000 folds, with only a 6% drop in brightness at the center,
fully bendable (and transparent) mobile device, that could fold out from a phone-sized screen to a tablet-sized one, showing Samsung's
ambitions for the technology.Production problemsWhile a device like the one in the video above is likely still years away even now, by 2012
Samsung was already hard at work trying to launch the first generation of flexible or foldable phones, but a report late in the year claimed
and flexible enough to fully fold or roll.And as 2012 came to a close it seemed Samsung might be overcoming its production problems, with
another report claiming that its flexible plastic screens were in the final stage of development, with the first phones sporting them likely
device.That was made even more clear when the tech was reportedly hit with new manufacturing issues in April 2013
Supposedly the previous problems had been solved, but now Samsung was apparently struggling with the encapsulation technology, which
protects the screen from moisture and air damage.Round the EdgeThe closest thing we actually got to a foldable phone from Samsung in 2013
was the Samsung Galaxy Round
direction.That was followed up by the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, which curved in a now more familiar direction, one which Samsung has since
fully embraced with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and other phones with curved edges.These are still far from being foldable, and
while a Samsung executive did promise a truly bendable device by the end of 2014, whatever he was referring to never appeared.Project
ValleyTalk of foldable phones went a bit quiet until mid-2015, when it was rumored that an upcoming phone codenamed Project Valley could be
foldable.At this point little was known about the device, which would apparently have two screens, but it was said to be in early
believed to be the name it would release under.According to reports at the time it would be ready for release in 2017 and would have a
foldable 4K display, so that the resolution would remain high even when the phone was folded.We were sceptical about that launch date at the
up those previous Galaxy X reports.Supposedly one would fold out from a 5-inch handset to an 8-inch tablet, much like the concept video
Samsung showed back at the beginning of our story, while the other would fold in half like a cosmetic compact, along the lines of a folding
claim to show off the Samsung Galaxy X
One came from a patent spotted by GalaxyClub, highlighting a long device, with a shape more like a remote control than a smartphone, but one
of the more recent bits of information that may point to the foldable X looks different than previous info
Much like the ZTE Axon M that came out in 2017, images from the patent filing (shown above) show off a bezel-licious device that folds in a
that plans for a 2017 launch could apparently be changed, which has clearly happened if any such plans ever existed.That gelled with a tweet
from tipster @mmddj_china, who claimed the Galaxy X would land in Q3 of 2017 - which again, obviously, did not happen.Elsewhere we were
hearing that Samsung would only have a prototype ready by then, and supply chain sources speaking to DigiTimes said that a small production
of foldable handsets would be made in the fourth quarter of the year, but technical issues may mean we wouldn't see mass production before
mid-2018 - something which now looks optimistic.Other sources similarly said that several thousand dual-screen prototypes might land in
2017, but that a commercially available product wouldn't.Most damningly of all, one of Samsung Display's own engineers has claimed we won't
better, as he claimed the company was aiming for a 2018 launch, assuming it could overcome certain unspecified problems
Though he's since slightly backtracked on those claims.More recently still he's said that rather than being the first the company's goal is
to make meaningful products and "roll out new products worth paying for", so it sounds like we might still be waiting a while for the Galaxy
X if their aim is to make it polished.The Galaxy X could essentially have two screens instead of one
Credit: KIPRISIn November 2017 we finally had a look at the possible interface of the Galaxy X, revealing a familiarly Samsung UI, but where
each half of the display shows a different screen, rather than just making everything bigger or smaller.This interface was shown in a
patent, which also gave us another look at the possible design of the phone, showing something with a laptop-like design, but a second
screen where the keyboard would be.And in early 2018 an industry source claimed Samsung will likely start producing the phone - which will
apparently have a 7.3-inch display - in November 2018, with a launch likely in December or early 2019
However, they added that it's likely to have an ultra-premium price tag.But apparently prototypes of the folding phone have already been
shown off behind closed doors at CES 2018, which took place in January, while Samsung's Q4 2017 financial results included claims that
foldable OLED panels and phones could be a big money-maker for Samsung in 2018 and beyond - which is yet more evidence that the Galaxy X is
coming soon.On to a WinnerIn May 2018 we heard that Samsung had apparently changed the phone's codename from 'Valley' to 'Winner' and that
the final handset will be made up of three 3.5-inch screens, which can be opened out to tablet size or folded like a book.Apparently the
screens for this device will be ready by November 2018 and the phone itself could land in February 2019, possibly during MWC.That's a rumor
that we've now heard more than once, though as with everything Galaxy X-related we'd take it with a huge helping of salt.And whenever it
Still, at least you should have some time to save.The shape of things to comeThat brings us up to today, and while Samsung has made some
not the first time a questionably close launch has been rumored.And since a Samsung employee has said not to expect the Galaxy X before 2019
that's the earliest we'd expect to see it.But behind the scenes promising progress does seem to have been made
without breaking, to avoiding damage to internal components.So we still see folding phones in our future, and maybe even the not too distant
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